Official Community Plan Review – Outcomes from February 14 Meeting
On February 14, at a Special Meeting of Council, Council directed staff to move forward with the complete OCP review, focusing on all six themes: agriculture and local food systems, marine and land-based natural environments, climate action, healthy communities, jobs and the local economy, and housing and affordability. They also gave staff direction on the approach for the next phase of public engagement.
Council directed staff to initiate a high-level review of the current OCP policy language, outlining what could be maintained, removed or revised and strengthened in response to community direction. Council emphasized this as an effective communication tool to clarify the intentions of how elements of the existing OCP would be brought forward and provide a further opportunity to demonstrate why the OCP needs updating in relation to each of the six OCP themes.
Council directed staff to include meetings with the OCP Advisory Working Group (AWG), District Commissions, community associations and representative residents within the revised engagement plan. Council also directed staff to restructure the in-person engagement as a community-focused process, taking place from May to June.
Council emphasized the importance of two-way dialogue, first with those residing in the areas potentially being explored for change, then with the broader community. Council indicated that they would like the project team to test and refine the engagement materials with the AWG and Commissions before going to Council and then the broader community.
Council directed staff to explore all six OCP themes and land use options to generate feedback on the range of potential land use options, asking the community which features or elements it identifies with, or not. Council emphasized the importance that the engagement activities provide context for the potential land use and policy directions associated with all six OCP themes and to draw from the baseline data and foundational documents guiding the OCP review.
Council directed staff that the revised work plan include a Council check-in to review engagement materials prior to presentation to the broader community and to present the engagement summary report.
Council directed staff to also contemplate the feasibility of drafting the OCP as Phase 4 from July to September 2022 and to report back to Council with the draft OCP in late September.
Staff will present a revised Phase 3 work plan, engagement plan and associated budget for these tasks in response to Council’s direction in late March.
To view the agenda, minutes and recording of the meeting visit northsaanich.ca/council-meetings and click the “Special Meeting of Council – 14 Feb 2022” link.
